Alumni Council and Board of Trustees Spend the Day at Friends
Pictured: (Back row, L to R): Nancy Hadley-Jaffe, Jennie McKee, Jeff Penn, Eitan Darwish ’17 Front row: L to R: Lorraine Kreahling, Ian Harris ’07, Buxton Midyette, Kennedy Cogan, Alice Stern ’76
In early April, Friends welcomed members of the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Council for the annual Visiting Day, in person for the first time for the Alumni Council following the pandemic. Guests visited more than 25 classes across all three divisions and observed everything from Grade 3 students hammering in shop, to seniors wrestling with Toni Morrison’s Beloved to Middle School students joyfully celebrating a backlog of Spring Break birthdays in the Meetinghouse.
Alumni Council Co-Clerk, Alice Stern ’76 shares, “It was great to see all the incredible additions to the campus in the 27 years since I’ve been inside the building. Just as impressive as the physical plant was what I observed in the halls and classrooms—a community of people who seem to care about each other and an easy and respectful rapport between adults and students.”
It was an informative and memorable experience that will guide and inspire their work as volunteer leaders of the School. As one Trustee commented, “Speaking and interacting with students and teachers makes our work as Trustees all the more meaningful. I left Friends that day with a renewed sense of purpose. The teachers are phenomenal and the students are so very talented not just intellectually, but also in terms of emotional intelligence. This day was absolutely one of the highlights of my service to Friends. So very impactful to be in person this year!”
Bob Rosen Honored as Recipient of The Teri Hassid Art of Teaching Award
Congratulations to jazz teacher Bob Rosen, the recipient of the 2023 Teri Hassid Art of Teaching Award. He presented a lecture, "Notes on Teaching," April 19 in the Meetinghouse, which has served as his classroom for decades. During his lecture, Bob spoke about his love for teaching and the many students who have gone on to play jazz professionally, many of whom were in the audience. Thank you, Bob, for being Friends' pied piper!
Friends Math Teacher Larry Carter Featured in Alumni Council's "We're All Grown Ups Now" Series
On April 20, 2023 the Friends community gathered together in the Great Room and on Zoom for the Alumni Council’s fourth “We’re All Grown Ups Now” dialogue, marking Larry Carter’s 44 years at Friends. Alumni, parents of alumni, current and former faculty attended the special occasion, which culminated in Helen Rhim ’93, Alumni Council’s Diversity, Equity & Belonging Co-Chair, announcing the establishment of the Larry Carter Financial Aid Fund. This endowed fund will benefit students of color at Friends Seminary, with a preference for African American and Latinx students. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that the student population at Friends reflects the diversity of New York City.
Alumni Literature Trivia Night
On Thursday, April 4, the Alumni Council hosted its second virtual Alumni Trivia Night. This year’s event focused on Friends literature and was hosted by Upper School English teacher Josh Goren. More than 20 alums participated in what was a fun and competitive night of trivia.